Standard Club’s correspondents BRAZMAR Marine Services have advised that the Directorate of Ports and Coasts (DPC) / Navy have changed their previous guidance on the discharge of scrubber wash-water in Brazil.
Namely, the discharge of wash water from open loop and/or hybrid Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) is allowed within Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters until the competent environmental authority has the opportunity to better assess the scenario.
This is based on the assumption that the subject EGCS is approved by Class, has a plan for compliance of SOx emissions and is approved as per the requirements of resolution MEPC.259 (68) of IMO.
The above-mentioned comments are subject to specific requirements from the different terminals.
As such, members with an open-loop (or hybrid) scrubber installed on their ship are recommended to check with local agents or club’s correspondents on any applicable regulations in relation to the use of scrubbers, such as wash-water discharge restrictions, or requirements to seek permission from authorities for using scrubbers in port waters.
Ship’s staff need to be mindful when their ships operate in regions where scrubber discharge is prohibited (or restricted), and switch either to a closed-loop mode of scrubber (if applicable, for hybrid scrubbers) or to compliant fuel well in advance of the ship’s arrival at such ports.
….as Standard Cub recommended.
